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Wednesday, July 16, 2014

My letter to the NYTimes RE The Righteous Among the Gazans: A Palestinian Saved My Life By Nimrod Nir

The American Task Force on Palestine's mission is to advocate for a
negotiated end-of-conflict agreement that is in the American national
interest and allows for two states, Israel and Palestine, to live
side-by-side in peace and security.

It was good to see Nimrod Nir's op-ed "The Righteous
Among the Gazans: A Palestinian Saved My Life". I thought his op-ed
was very noble, generous, and helpful, but for one very important
point: Nir tells readers that "Because governments are only as
strong as the peoples’ support for them, the only way to end the
bloodshed is to renew dialogue between the peoples rather than the
leaders". Reading that I can not help but think hmmm.... BEWARE:
There have been decades of dialogue and gazillions of compassionate
acts, as well as intelligent insights, but what is really needed
right now to end the Israel-Palestine conflict is full respect for
international law and universal human rights.

Government leadership as well as religious leadership most certainly
do have huge influence on how many people think, in many ways. Both
official speeches and informal sermons provide talking points as
well as a tone. Laws passed as well as policies promoted shape
everyday life for the people being governed, and for their
neighbors. Governments dominated by religious fanatics,
demographically obsessed bigots and war mongers can be very
powerful, and such a government can easily force all citizens to pay
homage as well as tax money to a preferred official religion, which
in turn perpetuates and empowers a government dominated by religious
fanatics plus their favorite cronies. The rule of fair and just laws
suffers, and so do many innocent people who have no way to escape,
and very little chance of being heard.

Furthermore, when it comes to the Israel-Palestine conflict,
Israelis and Palestinians are not the only ones involved shaping the
conversation. World wide people who know about the Israel-Palestine
conflict tend to be vehemently either pro-Israel or pro-Palestine.
Money is made, books are sold, charities fund raise, and now with
the internet web sites can get ad dollars plus donations, and echo
chambers totally exasperate hostilities as angst, rage, righteous
indignation and organized campaigns on all sides inspire and
influence various people in various ways.

Here in America people can't even agree on it being tit-for tat, or
one state or two. Given more time left unresolved there will only be
more points to argue about, with more shame blame and bully tweets,
posts, diatribes and rants polluting the conversation at every
turn.

I am hoping that an upcoming American Task
Force on Palestine press briefing helps generate a more
civilized and compassionate public dialogue here in America, with a
firm focus on the bigger picture, political realities, international
law, and the vital importance of ending the Israel-Palestine
conflict ASAP with a Palestinian state living alongside Israel in
peace, security and dignity.

July 8, 2014, Washington, DC -- The American
Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) today called on Israel and the
Palestinians to de-escalate as quickly as possible from an
increasingly explosive situation and a moment of grave peril.
Major airstrikes on Gaza have killed numerous Palestinians,
reportedly including several children, today while another
heavy barrage of rocket fire from Gaza was launched towards
southern Israel, and at least one rocket being reportedly shot
down over Tel Aviv. Today's violence comes in the context of
tit-for-tat killings of, and attacks on, Israeli and
Palestinian teenagers in Jerusalem, widespread tensions in the
West Bank, and even growing unrest among Palestinian citizens
of Israel.

ATFP called
on all sides to demonstrate leadership and to take immediate
and concrete actions to de-escalate the growing conflict and
refrain from inflammatory rhetoric. ATFP urged all parties
to consider the negative consequences of similar
conflagrations in the past, and recall that they did not
benefit either side, militarily or politically, but caused
the deaths of countless innocent civilians, enormous
destruction of property, and widespread and lasting misery.
ATFP urged President Barack Obama and the rest of the
international community to use their good offices to ensure
that all prospects for resolving the crisis are fully
explored.

The American
Task Force on Palestine supports Palestinian
institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption
measures, economic development, and improved living standards.
ATFP holds that these same values are relevant to the broader
Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is
inextricably linked to regional realities and developments.

ATFP provides an independent voice for
Palestinian-Americans and their supporters and advances human
rights and peace. It categorically and unequivocally condemns
all violence against civilians, no matter the cause and who
the victims or perpetrators may be.